Hi There,
I had an intense couple of days early last week – on Monday the funeral of my old boss and the person who not only gave me my first break in the wonderful world of TV drama and script development but also continued to employ me over many years – Sally Head. When I first went to work for Sally and her fantastic colleague, Gwenda Bagshaw, at Granada TV, they were at the height of their creative powers – as executive producers of such seminal shows as Cracker (Jimmy McGovern), Prime Suspect (Lynda La Plante) and Band Of Gold (Kay Mellor). My first production script-editing job for them was on long-running ITV 9pm medical series Medics. Episode writers on the show included people like Paul Abbott and Neil McKay.
The Granada drama department at the time was a fantastic place to work. Other script editors included Patrick Spence and Nicola Shindler; and one of the department assistants was Marianne Elliot, who has gone to be one of the UK’s outstanding theatre directors.
Although obviously sad, the funeral was also full of laughs as friends remembered Sally’s eccentric and unorthodox approach to life and work – she was a true pioneer – tough, as she needed to be to be a successful female TV executive at that time, but also great fun to work with, an instinctive rebel, loyal and with brilliant storytelling instincts.
Her legacy in TV is guaranteed, her work gave so many people so much enjoyment – but seeing her family and friends at the funeral also reminded me that fantastic and fulfilling though work achievements can be – ultimately, it’s family, friends and close relationships that are the meaningful things in life.
It was also great to catch up with people who have played such a big part in my working life, some people that I worked with and for a very long time ago, people who gave me a break when I was starting out, very junior – when I badly needed that break.
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/may/25/sally-head-obituary
Which leads me on to the Channel 4 screenwriting course drinks the following evening in central London. The evening marked the end of the 16th year of the Channel 4 course and the drinks evening seems to have more and more industry attendees every year, a really satisfying indicator of how interested the TV drama and film industries in the UK are in the writing talent that comes out of the course. There were over 250 people in attendance and many outstanding scripts were written on the course. I have already received so much positive feedback from production companies and literary agents about the quality of the scripts.
It is great to be involved in the start of so many developing and flourishing screenwriting careers.
A few thoughts that came out of the evening –
The importance of specifically regional, national voices – we had an excellent Scottish writer on the course this year (Liam Moffat) and it was great to see him at one point, in a corner of the room surrounded by people from several different Scottish production companies.
Also in attendance were many writers from previous years of the course. It’s great to catch up with them and hear how they’re getting on. One writer was telling me about going on set for the first broadcast TV episode that she’s written – and the thrill of seeing constructed sets that had originally existed only in her mind’s eye as she sat at her computer. This reinforced for me the need to be in this business for the long game – the need to be both patient and persistent. (Alongside patience, writers – particularly in the current climate – need a steely ambition and determination.)
I had a couple of conversations on the night about how / whether the industry had changed from the 1990’s / early 2000’s (Sally Head’s heyday) in terms of the way people behave. I have some hair-raising anecdotes about my early days in the industry of witnessing massive rows and clashing egos – there seemed to be opposing views over whether the industry has in fact changed for the better and become more civilised!
I talked to several writers and script editors from previous years on the course who are still in touch with each other, still friends, still encouraging each other – and hiring each other. This reminded me how important it is for writers to foster strong working relationships with your champions – those people in the industry who ‘get’ you as both writer and friend.
Connected to this – obviously for budding screenwriters the most important thing is their scripts, the quality of the writing. But being able to enjoy events like this, enjoying the company of potential employers, enjoying chatting about story and TV – is such an important part of the TV screenwriter’s work and career. On the 4screenwriting drinks evening, it’s sometimes easier for the writers from previous years to actually enjoy this. For the 12 writers of this year’s course, the evening can be enjoyable – but it can also feel quite daunting and intense, feeling a little like you’re on display!
Perhaps this point has something to do with my age – but a little courtesy and generosity goes a long way. When I get meaningful thanks from the 4screenwriting writers, it’s gratifying and makes me want to work harder for the writer in question.’
Writer / script editor Phil Gladwin, on the courses I used to run with him, always made the point that generosity to your fellow writers and everyone in general may not immediately pay off – but it will in the long run in unexpected ways – and this still resonates with me.
Finally, what these two weirdly contrasting but connected events made me think about was what a fortunate and privileged position I am in to be able to pass on the baton, to do what I can to give these super-talented writers a leg-up in the way that Sally, Gwenda and Jonathan Powell (the head of drama at Carlton TV*, ex-controller of BBC1 who was my boss for 7 years and who it was a pleasure to see at Sally’s funeral) did for me.
*Sorry – final footnote. Who now has heard of Carlton TV? Not many people. And yet, before it was subsumed into ITV, it was a massive company that made a load of ITV shows. The lesson I take from this – corporations, companies in themselves mean nothing. Whatever you do in your work, your loyalty should be to yourself, not to the (utterly ephemeral) company you work for!
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TWO COURSES
ARVON TUTORED SCREENWRITING RETREAT
I will be running a residential screenwriting tutored retreat for the ARVON FOUNDATION in beautiful Totleigh Barton, Devon and my co-tutor is the brilliant, prolific 4screenwriting alumna THARA POPOOLA, Sept 28 – Oct 3.
https://www.arvon.org/writing-courses/courses-retreats/tutored-retreat-screenwriting-2/
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Experienced producer / script executive SARA MURRAY is running a writer’s retreat in Greece in November. Sara has been a script editor on 4screenwriting and has an impressive list of credits.
NB Sara has said that anyone applying for the retreat via my newsletter is eligible for a £100 discount.
The Rewrite Lab — 2–9 Nov
A TV writing retreat in Greece
Spend a week redrafting your script with expert guidance. The Rewrite Lab runs 2–9 November 2026 at Limnisa, a secluded house overlooking the Saronic Gulf on the Methana peninsula. It’s a small group — eight writers — combining quiet time to write with two one-to-one development sessions and evening readings.
Your host is Sara Murray, who has spent over twenty years developing, script editing and producing TV drama, including EastEnders, Top Boy and The Feed, most recently as Head of Scripted at Raw TV and previously in C4’s drama commissioning team. You’ll need a full draft of a script to work on (around 30, 60 or 90 pages), at any stage from rough first draft onwards.
Early bird £1,200 (book by 24 July), £1,350 standard. Includes seven nights’ accommodation, two development sessions, and most meals.
To enquire: enquiries@saramurrayretreat.com
The next newsletter will be on Friday July 24th,
Best wishes
Phil
PHILIP SHELLEY
Friday July 10th 2026